By G. Michael B.
On Friday, May 15, 2009 I began the final weekend of the 8-month, 8-weekend ‘Partners in Policymaking’ advocacy class for people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities which began back in September. On Friday I presented my final project: Traumatic Brain Injuries & on Saturday we were give our certificates of graduation. There were 28 of us in the class, all ` from somewhere in VA. We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel at I-64 & Broad St.
We learned a lot in our class about advocating for ourselves & to stop using negative words like “disabled”, “handicapped”, “special needs”, “suffers from”, “afflicted with” and DON’T APOLOGIZE!
Showing posts with label partners in policymaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label partners in policymaking. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Day at The General Assembly
by a Mill House Member
On Friday, April 3, I and 27 other members began our seventh once-a-month weekend of an 8-session “Partners in Policymaking” class at the Sheraton Hotel on Broad St. at I-64. We’ve been taking this class since September and graduate on May 16. After breakfast on Saturday the 4th, all 28 of us plus the 2 staff in charge rode down to the General Assembly where we spoke about various disabilities which most of us have. Some were parents of children with disabilities and a couple of them had disabilities themselves. After lunch we walked to the Capitol and into the House of Delegates room where we did a “mock vote”.
After giving them a brief story line on my life history, I mentioned the fact that VA spends $20 per year for services for people with brain injuries, but over $1,000 per year for the same services for people with mental retardation. There is also a long waiting list for members at each of our clubhouses. As a result, brain injury survivors cannot access appropriate services in their community. So I asked them “Why can’t the state fund the same amount toward brain injury and its survivors as it does other similar things?”
Some of the General Assembly members recognized me and remember not only me but others as well from The Mill House as we have spoken to them for our clubhouse a few times before – me, 3 times. Everyone truly enjoyed themselves this weekend; a fun time was had by all.
by a Mill House Member
On Friday, April 3, I and 27 other members began our seventh once-a-month weekend of an 8-session “Partners in Policymaking” class at the Sheraton Hotel on Broad St. at I-64. We’ve been taking this class since September and graduate on May 16. After breakfast on Saturday the 4th, all 28 of us plus the 2 staff in charge rode down to the General Assembly where we spoke about various disabilities which most of us have. Some were parents of children with disabilities and a couple of them had disabilities themselves. After lunch we walked to the Capitol and into the House of Delegates room where we did a “mock vote”.
After giving them a brief story line on my life history, I mentioned the fact that VA spends $20 per year for services for people with brain injuries, but over $1,000 per year for the same services for people with mental retardation. There is also a long waiting list for members at each of our clubhouses. As a result, brain injury survivors cannot access appropriate services in their community. So I asked them “Why can’t the state fund the same amount toward brain injury and its survivors as it does other similar things?”
Some of the General Assembly members recognized me and remember not only me but others as well from The Mill House as we have spoken to them for our clubhouse a few times before – me, 3 times. Everyone truly enjoyed themselves this weekend; a fun time was had by all.
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